Dengue poses fourfold higher risk of death for pregnant women, unborn babies also at risk
Graphics: Agamir Somoy
Arpita Das got married on October 16 last year. A new member of the family was expected to arrive this month. But the 26-year-old woman could neither celebrate her wedding anniversary nor see her child. She died of dengue at Chattogram Medical College Hospital last Friday while 35 weeks pregnant. A stillborn baby boy was delivered immediately after her death. Arpita’s death is not merely a statistic. It highlights the severe health risks faced by pregnant women infected with dengue.
An analysis of data provided by the Health Emergency Operations Center and Control Room of the Directorate General of Health Services shows that although men are more frequently infected with dengue, the mortality rate is higher among women. A total of 143 people have died from the mosquito borne disease this year. Of them, 73 were women. However, there is still no separate data on dengue infections or deaths among pregnant women.
Health experts said pregnant women face several times higher health risks when infected with dengue. Along with the mother, the unborn child may also face various physical complications and even death.
A study titled “Health risks to mothers and newborns from dengue infection during pregnancy” found that pregnant women infected with dengue had a 4.14 times higher risk of death compared with pregnant women who did not have dengue. They also had a 2.71 times higher risk of stillbirth and a 3.03 times higher risk of neonatal death. The study published in the international medical journal Tropical Medicine & International Health analyzed data from 39,632 pregnant women infected with dengue.
Mushtaq Hossain, former Chief Scientific Officer of the Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research and a public health expert, said dengue creates a highly risky situation for pregnant women. He advised taking additional measures at home to protect pregnant women from mosquito bites at the initial stage. The public health expert also advised pregnant women to get tested for dengue immediately if they develop a fever. If they are infected with dengue, he advised taking them to a hospital quickly.
The study data also showed that among pregnant women infected with dengue, the rate of dengue shock syndrome was 14.9 percent. The rate of premature birth was 14 percent. The rate of maternal bleeding was 13.8 percent. The rate of miscarriage was 6 percent and the rate of stillbirth was 5.6 percent.
Chattogram Civil Surgeon Mohammad Sajedur Rahman advised considering pregnant women as a particularly vulnerable group in dengue management. He said a pregnant woman had died of dengue at Chattogram Medical College Hospital. However, the case will be added to the list after a report from the hospital’s review committee. He said pregnant women infected with dengue should be kept under the supervision of gynecology and obstetrics specialists and medicine specialists from the beginning. This can significantly reduce the risk of serious complications.
